Philodendron Verrucosum – Best Care Guide  

Even though its common name, ‘velvet-leaf’, could lead to confusion with other Philodendrons, the unique and attractive qualities of this plant are irrefutable.

Two Philodendron species are commonly referred to as velvet-leaf: this one (P. verrucosum) and P. scandens f. micans.

Philodendron verrucosum has pubescent (velvety) medium-green leaves with lime green veining and maroon reverse coloring. As an epiphyte, verrucosums prosper if vined as early as possible. As light conditions improve, leaf size and colors, as does vein variegation.

Introduction to Philodendron Verrucosum

The P. verrucosum’s natural habitat ranges from Costa Rica to Peru, commonly at altitudes above 1,600ft in different types of forests: Premontane rain forest, Tropical Lower Montane rain forest, and Tropical wet forest.

Its occurrence throughout Costa Rica and Panama, primarily on the Atlantic slope or close to the Continental Divide and on the Pacific slope in southwest Costa Rica, speaks to the plant’s adaptability to varying climates.

This thoroughbred requires the closest care of all the philodendrons, especially regarding light, climbing, and humidity requirements.

Below I share how to effectively care for your Philodendron verrucosum, creating a specimen of great beauty and presence. Read on.

Philodendron Verrucosum Best Care Guide

As I’ve said before, when caring for aroid plants, the key is knowing where they grow and what that natural habitat offers them. Let’s see what we can glean from the information already provided:

• They like rainforests – high humidity and moist soil
• They like slopes – better drainage and improved exposure to the sun
• They like tropical forests – they don’t do well in cold

Let’s check out Panama’s annual temperatures:

• The hottest month in Panama is April when the average maximum temperature is 88° F, the average temperature is 82° F, and the average minimum temperature is 77° F.

• The coolest month in Panama is December when the average maximum temperature is 86° F, the average temperature is 81° F, and the average minimum temperature is 75° F.

Let’s examine each element individually: soil, water, light, temperatures, nutrition, humidity, growing habits, pests, and other challenges.

Factor	Details
Soil Type:	Quick-draining, rich. See guide below
Light:	Bright indirect sunlight
Watering:	See guide below
Temperature:	65 – 85°F
Humidity:	60 – 95%
Soil pH:	5.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
Fertilizing:	A diluted feed once a month in spring and summer
Repotting:	Every 1 to 3 years
Pruning:	As required during the growing season
Propagation:	Root stem cuttings in soil
Toxicity:	Toxic to humans and pets
Mature Size:	36 inches tall
Hardiness Zone:	Outdoors 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b

Philodendron Verrucosum Preferred Soil

The type of soil you choose greatly impacts how happy your Philodendron Verrucosum will be. Because this Philodendron prefers damp soil, the soil must be able to keep moisture for a few days.

Drainage is important, though, because soggy soil causes root rot.

Mix perlite and coconut coir into a high-quality houseplant potting soil mix. The perlite aids aeration and drainage, while the coconut coir helps retain moisture.

These two additives offer the ideal soft and airy soil balance for a Philodendron Verrucosum.

So let’s replicate the forest floor soil for our precious and spectacularly beautiful P. verrucosum:

• For good water retention, we’ll use coconut coir, it’s renewable, neutral, and drains water well while not drying out. Remember, you want to keep your roots damp but not wet.

• We’ll add perlite, an amorphous volcanic glass with relatively high water content for aeration. As a soil additive, it’s light and prevents compaction, promoting airflow.

• Horticultural Charcoal. Activated Charcoal (carbon) in industrial settings controls odors, purifies liquids, and absorbs gasses. As a soil amendment, it helps balance pH levels, supports bioactivity, prevents compaction, and aids water management (drainage and retention). Unlike other carbon materials, Charcoal does not bind nitrogen as it is already stable and can’t be decayed further.

• Compost builds soil health and promotes the population diversity of essential soil-borne microorganisms to break complex compounds down to bioavailable nutrients. Many slow-release fertilizers are microorganism-dependent.

• The fungi-to-bacteria ratio on forest floors is about 100:1. One reason is that fungi are needed to break down the lignin in wood, and the other is that fungi play a symbiotic role in feeding plants via mycorrhizal networks, as this Harvard study shows. Adding leaf mold to your mix will boost your fungi population.

Philodendron Verrucosum Light Requirements

Which plants will thrive in our houses (or perish) depends on the environment we offer. Ample light is the most crucial environmental element when growing plants inside.

Light gives plants the energy they require to produce nourishment. Foot candles are a standard unit of measurement for light (ft-c).

While outdoor light intensity on a bright, sunny day may surpass 10,000 ft-c, the interior of a well-lit home is frequently less than 100 ft-c. Plants’ need for light intensity varies widely (see table).

According to the amount of light required for growth, indoor plants are frequently categorized:

• Low (minimum 100 ft-c, 75 to 200 preferred for good growth)
• Medium (minimum 100 to 150 ft-c, 200 to 500 preferred)
• High (minimum 150 to 1000 ft-c, 500 to 1000 preferred)
• Very high (minimum 1000 ft-c, 1000+ preferred)

Maintaining plant quality takes about 100 ft-c for 12 hours per day, while foliar plants need at least 200 ft-c for 12 hours per day to profit from fertilization.

Medium-light plants like P. verrucosum thrive in eastern exposures or a few feet from these light sources.

Any specific site’s lighting conditions will change depending on the time of year (sun angle, length of day), exterior tree shading, window treatments, wall color (light reflection), and the actual location. Affordable light meters are a wise purchase.

Under artificial light produced by fluorescent lamps or specific incandescent lights, P. verrucosum develops well.

Ordinary incandescent lamps are generally not advised for plants since they cause them to stretch (become “leggy“).

For most plants, sixteen hours of light and eight hours of darkness are sufficient. To ensure the right cycle every day, use an electric timer.

Poor plant development is caused by insufficient light, while too much light can also be damaging. Overly bright conditions are not suitable for shade plants.

Too much direct sunlight causes a plant’s leaves to bleach or scald, sometimes even killing the plant.

This frequently occurs after bringing a plant into direct sunlight outside. Any adjustments to the brightness should be made gradually.

Philodendron Verrucosum Water Requirements

Overwatering is the main reason why potted plants die. When surrounded by water, roots cannot absorb oxygen; they require water and oxygen.

These roots may rot, and the plant as a whole may finally perish. Root decay and potential plant death are caused by the symptoms of overwatering and underwatering, which are identical.

Porous clay pots need more regular watering than nonporous, glazed, or plastic pots because water evaporates quickly from their sides.

More frequently than a tiny plant in a large pot, a large plant in a small pot need watering.

Different soil mixtures call for various watering regimes. Greater amounts of coconut coir and heavy, fine-textured potting media keep more moisture than airy, porous blends of bark, sand, and perlite.

A plant growing in a warm, dry, sunny setting has to be watered more frequently than once.

The general rule is to only water when necessary. To decide when to water, one may utilize the following techniques:

• Touch the soil: The most accurate test for soil moisture is to feel how dry the potting soil feels. If the mixture is dry at your fingertip after inserting your finger up to the second digit, it needs water.

• When potting mix in a clay pot starts to dry up, it shrinks away from its sides. Use a stick or your knuckles to tap the pot’s side. Water is required if the sound is hollow; if the sound is dull, the soil is moist.

• Estimate weight: It’s easy to see a weight reduction as potting mixtures dry up.

• Assess soil color: As potting combinations dry, their color will shift from dark to lighter.

When watering is necessary, water deeply. Apply water until the bottom of the pot is completely submerged.

This removes accumulated salts and ensures that most of the roots in the bottom two-thirds of the pot get enough water. Empty the tray – Don’t let the pot sit in the water that runs out.

Never use hot or cold water to water; the ideal water temperature is between 62 and 72 °F. Avoid using softened water to water plants because this will also add sodium and chloride to the soil, which could harm the plants.

While wilting frequently indicates a need for water, this is not always the case. Any damage to the root system, including root rot brought on by too much water, reduces a plant’s capacity to absorb water.

Weeding results from this failure to absorb water; in these circumstances, watering could make the issue worse.

Philodendron Verrucosum Temperature Limits

Philodendron verrucosum requires a temperature that does not exceed 85° F at midday temperatures and does not dip below 60° F during the nighttime.

A good indicator of a plant’s preferred temperature is the seed germination temperature of 75 to 80°F for most Philodendron self-heading types.

Winter cold causes chlorosis to appear first on the lower leaves. Various cold-protection methods can help you avoid becoming chilled.

Excessively bright light or a lack of nourishment can also cause light color. Plant color will be assured if the required light levels and fertilizer application rates are followed.

Philodendron Verrucosum Humidity Needs

To keep your Philodendron verrucosum in superb form and developing strongly, high humidity above 60% is advised.

After all, it is a subtropical to tropical plant that thrives in humid environments in its natural habitat. My terrarium-style humidification keeps mine at over 90%, and they do well.

Philodendron Verrucosum Fertilizer Needs

All plants require certain essential elements for proper growth. Indoor plants, in low light conditions of the interior environment, have reduced fertilizer requirements.

A complete fertilizer (one with nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), and potassium(K)) is a great option for indoor gardens.

For foliage plants, use a balanced fertilizer like 20-20-20, and for flowering plants, use a fertilizer with more phosphorus like 15-30-15 – each number represents the percentages of N, P, and K, respectively.

The best strategy to avoid soluble salt damage is to stop the salts from accumulating. Water correctly by soaking the soil completely and letting the extra water drain into a tray that empties.

How to Propagate Philodendron Verrucosum

Philodendron verrucosum is best propagated by stem cuttings in spring or summer. The sections between leaves can be used to grow new plants.

14 steps to follow to propagate your P. verrucosum:

1. Identify an appropriate portion of the rhizome between two leaves.
2. Make sure the surviving mother plant has at least three leaves.
3. The cutting should contain leaves.
4. To guarantee a clean and equal cut, use a pruning shear to cut the stem.
5. Allow the cutting callous to heal for a couple of hours after cutting.
6. Sprinkle cinnamon on the cutting area. It functions as a disinfectant and aids in the healing of the wound.
7. You can go on to the following phase after a few hours (depending on the thickness of the cutting).
8. Put some moist (not soaking wet!) food in a pot (we recommend plastic pots). It contains sphagnum moss.
9. Place the cutting gently into the moss.
10. Place the pot with the cutting in a plastic container or cover it with a plastic bag to increase humidity.
11. Open the lid or the plastic bag for a few minutes every couple of days to keep the air fresh.
12. The increased humidity will aid the plant’s root development.
13. This might take anywhere from two to four weeks. We like to aid the process by placing a seedling heat pad beneath a plastic box, as the added warmth from below significantly speeds up the process.
14. When your cutting has substantial roots and the first 2-3 leaves have formed, it’s time to put it into a pot with potting soil.

Congratulations on propagating one of the rare Philodendron species!

You should start to observe roots erupting after 3 to 4 weeks. It could, however, proceed much more quickly, take much longer, or fail.

Your success rate will depend on numerous factors. Besides the temperature and humidity, picking the proper time of year to attempt propagation through cuttings is important.

Air Layering

Air layering your plant is an alternative approach. A node with air roots is essentially surrounded by damp coconut coir, which is then covered in plastic. The emergence of roots should occur after a few weeks.

Once the root length is adequate, you can make your cut and acquire a rooted cutting. This approach has a better success rate since you get a cutting with roots.

The method is a little more challenging for a beginner because fixing the damp coconut coir on the plant’s stem can be tricky.

Seeds

Although sexual propagation is the most common form of plant proliferation, accessing viable P. verrucosum seeds is challenging as their shelf life is limited.

I would advise you to read the comments from Philodendron seed purchasers on any eCommerce site before you take the risk.

Philodendron Verrucosum Maintenance

Adding a moss pole for your P. verrucosum to climb up as early as possible will boost growth and color. P. verrucosum generally grows up to 3 feet high with leaves of up to 18-inches.

The moss pole will help the plant to gain color and height while improving the leaf color quality. Other effects of providing a pole are that the stem of the verrucosum will grow thicker, and the leaf size will increase considerably.

Potting a Philodendron Verrucosum

Use a pot with drainage holes because you’ll need well-draining soil and don’t want your Philodendron gloriosum to sit in water. Excess water will be able to drain rapidly through drainage holes.

The optimum containers for these plants are rectangular and as long and thin as feasible rather than spherical.

Because Philodendron gloriosum is a creeper, it will creep along with the soil and eventually reach the end of a standard circular pot.

The plant can no longer develop roots in the soil once it dangles over the edge, and the leaves will shrink.

Common Philodendron Verrucosum Challenges

Symptom	Cause	Treatment
Chlorosis (yellowing) of lower leaves	Exposure to 33 to 40°F for several hours	Avoid low temperatures
Petioles become excessively long, and the plant has an open appearance	Light Levels are too low	Grow plants under higher light levels
Leaf color fades or looks bleached out	Light levels may be too high, or fertilizer rates too low	Check light levels and fertilizer rates – adjust as needed
Older leaves have v-shape chlorosis, which spreads from the petiole attachment to the leaf margin. Midrib remains green.	Magnesium deficiency	Apply magnesium sulfate at a rate of 0.5 to 0.8 oz. per gallon of water
Leaves have a wrinkled line dotted with chlorotic or necrotic spots in the basal portion of the leaf lobe.	Pesticide phytotoxicity or burns from drying liquid fertilizer in the leaf roll	Apply 20-20-20 liquid fertilizers at a rate of 3.2 oz per 10 gallons of water. Do not exceed recommended pesticide rates.
New leaves of hybrid philodendrons are slightly twisted or distorted	Calcium deficiency	Increase calcium levels in liquid fertilizer or apply chelate calcium.
New leaves are purplish and twisted and may appear torn or have purplish spots.	Manganese toxicity	Increase soil pH to 6.5. Avoid spraying fungicides containing manganese. Top dress with dolomite
Margins of older leaves turn brownish, and discoloration spreads toward the midrib	Potassium deficiency	Increase potassium levels in liquid feed or growing medium
Irregular patches of leaf margins become necrotic.	Water stress combined with high light	Maintain soil moisture levels and reduce light levels
Chlorosis and reduced leaf size	Nitrogen deficiency	Apply a granular, high-nitrogen fertilizer
Leaf scorch on tips of older foliage.	Sodium toxicity	Apply extra potassium, topdress with gypsum, and switch to a less saline water source
Burned patches in the centers and tips of foliage	Sunburn	Increase irrigation frequency and move to a lower light area
Bronzed edges	Light levels or temperatures are too high	Move the plant to an area that provides a better environment

*An extract from IFAS

Philodendron Verrucosum Diseases

Disease	Symptom	Management
Bacterial Leaf Spot	Translucent spots on leaf margins become reddish-brown with yellow halos. Large spots are tan and irregularly shaped.	Purchase plants free from disease. Avoid overhead watering. Remove infected leaves.
Bacterial Blight Philodendron selloum	Small, very dark green spots on leaves expand rapidly and spread to petioles. Infected leaves collapse in a wet rot that smells foul.	Avoid overhead watering. Remove infected leaves of plants not severely affected—water in a manner that keeps the surfaces of leaves and petiole dry at all times.
Cold Injury	Very dark green to brown blotches from between leaf veins.	Do not place plants near air conditioners. Maintain temperatures above 55° F.
Magnesium Deficiency	V-shaped yellow areas form on leaves, especially in cool greenhouses.	Apply one teaspoon of magnesium sulfate (Epsom salts) per gallon of water.
Tip Curl	Leaf tips curl downward, and leaf margins are brown. Roots die.	Reduce fertilizer rate and leach the soil if slow-release fertilizer is not present. Repot if excessive slow-release fertilizer was used.

Philodendron Verrucosum Pest Challenges

Thrips, Spider Mites, Mealybugs, and Aphids

Thrips, Spider mites, Mealybugs, and Aphids are the main pest issues for this plant.

These tiny houseplant pests suck or devour the juice off the leaves and stems. A neem oil spray, repeated every 5-7 days until the bugs are gone, is the best treatment for these pests.

Combine one teaspoon of dish soap and two tablespoons of neem oil in a quart spray bottle, fill it halfway with water and give it a good shake.

Toxicity

The Philodendron verrucosum is a poisonous plant, and it can cause throat discomfort, swallowing difficulty, mouth pain, cramping, and other complications if swallowed. It is also toxic for cats and dogs. It is important to keep these plants away from them.

It can cause cramping, convulsions, renal failure, and coma if consumed in large quantities.

Frequently Asked Questions

 Why are the leaves of my Philodendron Verrucosum drooping?

Drooping leaves is generally a sign of water management problems – too much or insufficient.

What is the BEST care advice for Philodendron Verrucosum?

Their natural habitat is a rainforest where they get indirect light and live in soil that drains well and where the humidity is high. They are epiphytes, so they do best when they can climb skywards

Is Philodendron Verrucosum a fast grower?

Speed of growth is a product of adequate light, humidity, temperatures, and root health combined with adequate nutrition—the P. verrucosum grows at the same rates as other species from the Philodendron genus.

What family does the Philodendron Verrucosum belong to?

Philodendron verrucosum belongs to the Araceae (Arum) family. The family is also referred to as aroids.

In Closing

The Philodendron verrucosum is one of my certain recommendations. I have tried to give the most comprehensive guide to make it easy for you to grow this absolutely adorable plant – a beauty that will create a backdrop to any living space.